Issue #15: It's the Changing of the Seasons
Celebrate the Autumnal Equinox.
This is a little late from my usual mid-month email, but I can’t pass up a season shift. It’s like four smaller New Year’s Days spread equally throughout the year. I love all four seasons, but there’s a little something special about the transition from summer to fall.
This year has been challenging in many ways, so I welcome each season as a natural way to shed another layer and embrace something different. All the metaphors about nature shedding a layer and preparing to hibernate never fail to tap into my emotions. ‘Tis the season to savor the moments because it all changes so quickly.
Nothing Gold Can Stay - Robert Frost
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.Â
And now, on to the things I love about the season and hopefully some ideas to help inspire you to try something new this year.
Five Fall Things I Stand Behind
Leaf Peeping and Murder Books as Hobbies
Each season has activities that are considered normal, even popular. Summer options require so much sunscreen, but once we roll into the autumn season, it’s all about the spooky season and getting cozy. Two of my favorite activities in the autumn season are leaf peeping and reading murder books (you know, mysteries, but murder books sound more interesting.)
Murder books are acceptable year-round, but there’s something better about reading a whodunnit next to a fire when the sun has set versus reading it while sitting poolside sipping a margarita. That last sentence would imply that I actually read poolside in the summer, but you get the point. I just finished No One Needs to Know by Lindsay Cameron (or if you want the Amazon link), and next up are The Soulmate, Block Party, and Mother-Daughter Murder Night.
Leaf peeping is magic, and I definitely consider it a hobby. It really just involves any method for looking at trees and plants. You could take a scenic drive, walk through a park with beautiful trees, or stare at a tree outside your window that might have some glimmers of red, orange, and yellow. Take a second, look around, and peep those leaves. Everything changes so quickly, so you should allow yourself time to just time to enjoy it.
Sleep Schedules are Improved
Turns out that the amount of daylight has an impact on my sleep. Call it FOMO in the summer, but I cannot wind down until the sun has set and the darkness has settled. At the summer solstice, we are working with over 17 hours of daylight. In the summer months, I wake up around 5:30 a.m. and go to bed around 11:00 p.m. on normal days, which is not enough sleep for me. Now that the days are quickly getting shorter, it’s much easier for me to head to bed earlier and sleep a little longer.
I don’t know how I would handle places further north that have to deal with the midnight sun. Circadian rhythm is real. I feel more rested as the days get a bit shorter. It’s like my body knows that it will be able to catch up once summer is over.
Savory Pumpkin Only
I do not understand the pumpkin spice obsession. Technically, it is a fruit, but it just feels weird to be sweet. I don’t like pumpkin pie, I don’t like pumpkin spice drinks. I like pumpkin in pasta sauce, on a pizza, or in soup. I do not want to drink it or mix it with my beloved desserts.
If you want a sweet fall treat, stick with caramel, marshmallows, and maple. Sorry, pumpkin desserts are just not for me. Mix it with cheese or carve it out into a masterpiece; otherwise, I want nothing to do with it.
Gilmore Girls is the Vibe (and all Indy Music)
Did I start Gilmore Girls season one again this month? Absolutely. It is a comfort watch for me. Fast-talking women obsessed with coffee, take-out food, and strange family dynamics - it’s a love language. Any show set in New England immediately becomes an autumn show. I’m also intrigued that someone puts together an entire Rory Gilmore reading challenge each year.
Movies that work with my current vibe include any romantic comedies set in NYC over twenty years ago (hi Meg Ryan), films set on college campuses (anyone remember The Skulls with Paul Walker), and Baz Luhrmann musicals.
The same goes for moody indy music. There’s just a fall type of music. Slow the beat down and relax into comfortable and beautiful music. Less boppy, more emo. You know what I mean, there’s just a type of music that starts to make you feel cozy. Scroll on, there’s a playlist.
Communities Come Alive
Summer is when everyone goes on vacation and spends every weekend in the mountains or out on the water. In the fall, school starts, and people return home. It’s easier to schedule happy hours and gatherings because you don’t have to work around the wild schedules of summer travel. Take advantage of the fun time with friends before the holiday obligations ramp up in a few months.
It’s also election season, which brings the greater community together. I went to an event for a city council member tonight, and it is such a good reminder to show up for the people on your block and your neighborhood. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the wild headlines of Washington, DC, but our lives are so impacted by the choices our local representatives make. Get registered to vote this year, and make sure you take some time to read up on what’s on the ballot.
Other Fall Things For You
A Feels Like Fall Playlist
I’m constantly updating this playlist, but it will be the soundtrack to all my longer walks with this cooler weather.
The Coziest Items
Treat your pup with a Halloween box or even the Harry Potter-themed option. Marty’s favorite toys are all from this brand.
This hygge candle is on sale at the Nordic Museum, and it’s exactly what I’m looking to smell as we move into fall.
I would say not to sleep on this blanket from Target, but I actually think that’s exactly what you should do. We have three in different colors, and they are the best.
If you can’t handle the 12-foot-tall skeleton that has gone viral from Home Depot and sells out yearly, maybe you could ease your way into the spooky factor with this friendly guy.
Matching pajama sets are the only route I take now. The only thing I’m missing is flannel pajamas… I might have to pick up this matching set.
Recipes I’m Making This Fall
Campfire S’more Calzones (my secret way to hold onto summer)
Autumn Harvest Pizza because there should always be a pizza on the list
An update on this Caramel Apple Sangria recipe to make it a little less sweet (I’m open to ideas)
The Best Places to Visit in the Fall
New England is magical this time of year. We spent a week road-tripping through Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine during peak leaf-peeping season and felt like we were part of a caravan of buses (mostly senior citizens), but it was so worth it. If you’re interested in planning a trip like this, here is our full itinerary and recommendations.
The midwest is also home to some incredible changing trees. The North Shore of Minnesota is one of my favorite places in the universe, and it’s a perfect getaway for a fall weekend. This list has all of my favorite things to do on the shores of Lake Superior.
Eastern Europe was delightful in the fall. We spent time in Slovenia at Lake Bled, the capital city of Ljubljana, the mountains of Slovakia, and Wroclaw, Poland. The summer crowds were gone, but the weather was still gorgeous. I would highly recommend that area during the fall months.
I’m also a huge fan of the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia in the fall. We road-tripped down to visit friends when we lived in NYC, and it was incredible.
Other Things I’m Planning to Do this Fall Season
Hike a new trail on a beautiful fall day.
Bring out the Instant Pot from storage for new soup recipes.
Try some new Fresh hop IPAs.
Shop for new sweaters.
Appointment television is back. I look forward to having shows that I watch once a week instead of bingeing. The Morning Show and Lessons in Chemistry (both AppleTV) are on my list.
Visit British Columbia in the fall and spend some time unplugging in the mountains.
Continue to be pathetic at fantasy football and cheer for a team that typically disappoints.
Spend time with my nephews. They are coming to visit Seattle for their first big family trip, and I can’t wait to do all the fun kid stuff and see just how non-kid-proof my house is.
Happy Fall, Y’all!
I feel like that has to be on some wooden signs in Homegoods aisles across the country, right? Anyways, thanks for reading, sharing, and commenting. I’ll be sending out my September favorites next week. Let me know what you’re looking forward to with the changing of the seasons.
Cheers!
Steph